Mergen Guvanchmyradovich Orazov[3] (Turkmen: Mergen Guwançmyradowiç Orazow)[4] is a Turkmenistani football manager who manages the DFK Dainava in Lithuanian A Lyga.[5][6] Orazov is a UEFA Pro License coach.[7][8] He is former professional footballer and futsal player.
Orazov was born in Bekrewe, now part of Ashgabat. Orazov began playing football at an early age and at seven years of age, he was enrolled in the Ak Guş football team.[9] At 16, he joined the youth team of Ashgabat's Nisa Aşgabat. Soon he began to be involved in the game and for the main team of the club. After graduating from high school, however, he enrolled at the Pennsylvania State University and went to the United States.[10]
In 2005, Orazow joined Penn State Nittany Lions in the United States.[11][12]
Upon his return to Turkmenistan, Orazow took up professional futsal. As a member of the club Arvana Ashgabat he became the champion of Turkmenistan five times.
Five times he played for the Turkmenistan national futsal team in the final tournaments of the AFC Futsal Championship.
After concluding his professional playing career, Mergen Orazov became the head coach of the futsal club Köpetdag. Under his leadership, the team achieved notable success, winning the Turkmenistan Futsal Super League twice, including the 2020 season, in which he was also named Best Coach.[13][14]
In 2019, he also led Köpetdag to victory in the inaugural Turkmenistan Futsal Super Cup.[15][16]
His coaching career began in Aşgabat, where he worked as an assistant at the football club FC Altyn Asyr. He later went on to manage the team FK Köpetdag Aşgabat.[17]
In 2021, he was appointed manager of Ahal, helping them win the league, their first league title.[18][19][20][21] Ahal also won the Turkmenistan Cup and the Football Federation of Turkmenistan Cup. He was named the best coach of Turkmenistan in 2022.
In 2023, he was appointed manager of Turkmenistan.[22][23][24][25]
On 24 June 2025, Lithuanian A Lyga club DFK Dainava announced the appointment of Mergen Orazov as their new head coach.[26] Later that day, he made his debut in an A Lyga match against FK Banga Gargždai (2:1),[27] leading DFK Dainava to their first victory of the 2025 season.[28][29]
Ahal
Graduated from Pennsylvania State University (US) with a degree in Business Management.
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